The Daughter of Vrael
by SHELBMAC
Summary: Starting 110 years before Eragon's birth and 10 years before the Fall of the Riders. Follow Telsy as she trains with Brom, Galbatorix, Morzan, etc! 550 views.
1. Chapter 1

_Telsy's Story_

_This story coincides with my fanfiction, __Unexpected__, which follows Eragon and Saphira after they meet Telsy. This story follows Telsy's life before she meets Eragon and Saphira, about 110 years before Eragon's birth and 10 years before the Fall of the Riders. _

**Oh, this is exciting! History of my OC! **

The leaves had begun changing colors and summer was a fleeting dream as a chilled breeze picked up. Two figures in snow-white robes ascended the steps of a large, weather-worn castle.

No one looked up as several dragons flew overhead, their enormous wing spans creating immense shadows over the city of Doru Araeba. The Riders were converging for the first training of the new legion of Riders on the island of Vroengard. Most new Riders were young elves who had eggs hatch for them two months' previously. Once the dragons had grown to the size of a Shetland pony, training began.

Situated in the center of the city, the castle was one of the largest structures in all of Alagaesia, only rivaled by the elves' castle in Illirea. There were almost twenty different areas in the castle alone with the sole purpose of the training of Dragon Riders. In the main amphitheater, dragons and their Riders were gathering to hear their leader speak and begin the training.

Seventy-five Riders and dragons of all colors were landing in the lyceum. There were fifteen new Riders to begin training that afternoon. At the center of the auditorium stood Vrael, leader of the Riders.

"Welcome, my fellow Riders," he declared, his leathered face breaking into a smile of welcome. His hair, nearly as silver as his eyes, fell almost to the floor. "I am honored to present our newest Riders! Before we commence with this ceremony, I would like to introduce our Elders who will help educate our new young Riders."

The entire room broke out in applause. Nearest to the front sat the fifteen young Riders and the hatchling dragons. A boy with untamable brown hair sat with his opalescent blue dragon. Young Brom and Saphira were paying apt attention, completely focused on Vrael. Two young elves sat at the very edge of the bench. Formora and Kialandí were considered young and rather impressionable by most of the elders present. They and their dragons were hardly paying attention to the Elder who had now taken the stage.

The Elder, an elf with shoulder-length blonde hair and a golden sword on his hip, strode slowly yet confidently to the center of the stage.

"I am Oromis," he announced. The sound of wings could be heard, and then a large golden dragon landed at his side.

_And I am Glaedr,_ the dragon added.

"We will be tutoring three Riders for now," Oromis continued. "Brom, Krifton, and Jhön." Brom and Saphira stood, followed by a male elf with a young peach-colored dragon and a boy with a fiery orange dragon.

"Follow me." Oromis instructed, and began heading offstage.

Another Elder took the stage. He wore dark green robes and had very dark hair. A dragon about the same size as Glaedr landed at his side. "I am Zorthan," the Rider said, "and this is my dragon, Zavien."

Three other Elders and their dragons announced themselves, including Jelïra, Fundor, Galzra, and Beroan.

As Brom and Saphira followed Oromis and Glaedr into one of the adjacent chambers, two taller boys fell into step with the group. Both had coal black hair. The first, older, turned and looked down at Brom.

"Hello," he said, "My name is-"

"These are the resident Shrrgs," Oromis interrupted, "These boys demonstrate fighting techniques for you younger Riders. They tend to feel less pain and are willing enough to be our test subjects."

The boys laughed. "This is Morzan," Oromis said, putting a hand on the younger of the two. His eyes were two different colors: blue and black. He was good-looking, but looked slightly angered, even when he laughed.

"And this," Oromis continued, turning to the taller, "is Galbatorix. I was not lucky enough to be his mentor, but he seems to be around enough that he must be learning something from me… I hope." Galbatorix looked down at Brom again. There seemed to be something in his black eyes…

Suddenly two dragons dive-bombed their group. Krifton and Jhön jumped back a little as the dragons skidded to a halt.

"Thorn, Jarnunvösk," Oromis reprimanded the dragons playfully, "what have I told you about not frightening the hatchlings?"

Morzan went to the red dragon easily, sliding onto his back. "Let's go, Galbatorix," he called. His red dragon, Thorn, reared, spreading his scarlet wings. Galbatorix smiled and looked to the gray dragon. "Jarnunvösk," he said, "let's give them a demonstration, eh?"

He jumped on Jarnunvösk's back and the two dragons took off.

From the ground, Brom watched Morzan's every move, memorizing. He was so focused on his newest idol that he didn't see the white-haired girl darting in between him and Saphira until she hit him. Toppling forward, Brom managed to regain his balance before falling on his face.

"Telsy!" Oromis snapped. The girl, no older than ten, stopped in her tracks. "What have I told you about leaving your chambers?"

Telsy's face fell.

"I'm sorry, Oromis-elda," she said quietly, "I just wanted to see the dragons."

Oromis's face softened minimally. "Then go watch from the balcony. I wouldn't want you getting hurt down here. Imagine what your father would do to me if he heard I'd let you get hurt."

Telsy shuddered. "Yes, Oromis-elda." She disappeared.

Before Brom could question his new mentor, Oromis clapped his hands together.

"Let's begin!" He proclaimed.


	2. Chapter 2

"See?" Galbatorix asked. "That's how you-"

"What do you think you're doing?"

Oromis stood in the doorway. Morzan jumped up from sitting in front of Galbatorix, brushed off his pants and awkwardly walked out of the room.

"I could feel you drawing magic from across the castle. What are you trying to do? Kill yourself?"

Galbatorix looked embarrassed for half a second, and then stood.

"Oromis-elda," he began, "I just wanted to expand my knowledge. I want to become as strong as I possibly can. Jarnunvösk wanted to help as well-"

"Imagine if Svarthofdi found you were doing such things." Oromis interrupted, "I may not be your mentor, Galbatorix, but he is. You would be going against the rules Vrael himself built centuries ago. Dragon Riders work as a team," his voice became softer, "and I know how eager you are to learn. But you must be patient and learn to control yourself. I did not become an Elder by rushing through my training. People do not respect me because I finished first."

Galbatorix made an effort to look like he was listening and nodded. "I will remember what you said, Master."

Oromis clapped him on the shoulder and turned to go. As he left the room, he called to Glaedr.

_I am here, Oromis,_ the dragon replied from nearby. _I heard what happened. _

_The boy didn't hear a word you said,_ Glaedr said as he glided to a stop next to the elf.

_I know. He doesn't want to work with the other Riders. He wants to rule them._

One week later, as Brom and his fellow young Riders were running laps through trenches filled with mud, Galbatorix encountered Telsy for the first time.

"Where's your dragon?" Galbatorix said as he watched Telsy lean over a railing, straining to see the dragons.

Telsy whirled in fright, clutching the railing.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Galbatorix backtracked, "I've just seen you around so much, you don't train with the others and I just wondered why I haven't seen your dragon around."

Telsy didn't say anything.

"I am so jealous if you're getting special individual training. Probably with Vrael, am I right?" Galbatorix continued. "If you're out here, where's your dragon? What's its name?"

Galbatorix paused and finally listened to what Jarnunvösk was saying in the back of his head. He finally took a second look at Telsy.

"You don't have a dragon?"

Telsy stayed silent for another moment. She looked around and finding no one else, she said, "I don't have a dragon yet. My father is waiting for the right one."

"The right one?" Galbatorix repeated. "How can he know which one is the right one? Only you can determine that."

Telsy shrugged and began to back away from the older boy. "I can't disobey him." She turned and quickly walked away.

Telsy didn't slow down until she reached the highest point in the entire castle. She passed countless guards, who only after recognizing her, let her pass. Finally she arrived at a large steel door. The door read, "In truth lies acceptance" in the Ancient Language. Telsy pushed the door open.

Resembling many different rooms in one large space, the room had no dividing structures except for a small staircase along the far wall that led up to a loft. After scanning the area, Telsy entered and quickly crossed the room to the stairs. The second level was large enough for two dragons and had no real walls, just tapestries hanging from the ceiling.

Sitting next to a large white dragon was Vrael, neither of which moved at her presence. Isidar, the dragon, did not shift as Telsy sat next to him; she was close enough for her to touch his pearl-like scales.

"Father, Isidar," Telsy greeted them.

A silence stretched on for many minutes. Telsy knew not to break it if she was to get what she wanted from her father.

Vrael finally looked over at her.

"There seems to be something bothering you, Telsy," he said slowly.

"I wish to train with the other Riders." Telsy said.

"Now, why would you want that?"

Telsy held back a groan at Vrael's apparent lack of common sense.

"I am surprised that Oromis hasn't told you of all the times he's caught me watching them train." She looked over at him, her eyes filled with pleading. "All I want is to train with them. It is unfair that I must stay in hiding like some cripple you're afraid to admit you let live here."

"Telsy," Vrael said, "you're not a cripple. I just worry the others will not understand why you have no dragon-"

"I have no dragon because none will hatch for me!" Telsy interrupted. "I have touched every single egg on this island and there has yet to be a response from any one of them!"

She looked out into the sunset.

"My dear," Vrael said, "you know all I want for you is to be happy. I cannot force a dragon to hatch for you. It will happen, I am certain, but we must wait for the right dragon."

There was quiet for a few moments and Telsy knew her father was consulting with Isidar.

Vrael stood and held out his hand to Telsy.

"If this is what you want, then I can at least point you in the right direction. But you must remember one thing, my daughter."

He looked her straight in the face and said very slowly, "One lie leads to another. I hope you will know when to stop."

He turned and walked to the edge of the loft. Telsy watched curiously and jumped back as Vrael whistled very loudly.

"Now you be able to compete with all the other young Riders." Vrael said over his shoulder. "You will be able to do everything they can and perhaps you'll even put young Galbatorix in his place."

A shape was forming on the horizon. In mere moments the shape had taken on the form of a dragon.

The dragon was half the size of Isidar but the same gleaming white. It landed on the loft and leveled its gaze with Telsy.

"This," Vrael said, "is Cyvr."


	3. Chapter 3

Isidar bowed his head with great respect at Cyvr.

_It is a great pleasure to see you again__, __Bjatrskular-Elda._

Telsy's eye widened at the use of such an honorific title coming from Isidar.

"Cyvr," Vrael began, "has lived for over 1,000 years. We have assisted each other countless times and I called upon our last agreement in order to get him here today."

The white dragon blinked at Telsy before bringing its head down to sniff her.

_Daughter of Vrael,_ he said, _I see you are without a dragon. _

Telsy looked from her father to Cyvr. He was just as white as Isidar but was the size of a yearling.

"I don't understand," she managed to say.

"You wanted to be able to train with the other Riders." Vrael said, "Because Cyvr never chose a Rider and you conveniently don't have a dragon, I thought this would be the best solution for both of you."

"Won't they know Cyvr isn't my dragon? I don't have the gedwëy ignasia on my hand."

_Hold out your hand, child,_ Cyvr commanded.

Telsy obediently held out her right hand.

"Doesn't the mark only appear if you are the first human to touch a hatchling? Not to mention that you didn't exactly hatch for me…"

Cyvr ignored her and placed his snout in her outstretched hand. Telsy pulled back her hand as it burned. There, on her palm, was the mark.

Telsy looked up at Cyvr. Her white hair matched his moonstone scales and he did look like a young dragon. It could work.

_Vel eïnradhin iet ai__ Skulblaka,_ Cyvr said, _upon my word as a dragon, I will stay by your side. _

Vrael nodded and said, "Tomorrow, my daughter, you will start training- officially- as a Dragon Rider."

Telsy woke from her half-sleep to find the landing above her bed empty. She was still getting used to having a mind constantly brushed up against hers and even though she had grown up around the mental connection between humans and dragons, it was new to have the white dragon in her head even when she could not see him.

_What is for breakfast this morning? _She called out mentally, knowing Cyvr could hear.

An image of two large deer appeared in her head and the sound of contented humming filled her ears. Telsy could feel other dragons nearby as she dressed. Looking out from her balcony, she identified Cyvr surrounded by several other older dragons feeding on their kills. Unlike Cyvr with his bucks, Glaedr, Zavien- a green, Ophelia- lavender in color, and Morenoí- a brown, were feeding on sheep.

Telsy knew that Cyvr would rather eat with dragons closer to his own age than the younger dragons, even if it looked bizarre to the young Riders. Looking up, Telsy saw Isidar circle the feeding grounds twice and then slowly head back up to the main grounds. Cyvr quickly finished his kills and then lifted his bloody maw to face Telsy.

_I hope you are ready for a lengthy flight today, Telsy, _he said.

Telsy sent him back a quizzical look, expecting him to further his cryptic statement, but Cyvr licked his claws silently before unfurling his narrow wings. The gust of wind that was caused by the one stroke of Cyvr's wings did not disturb the other dragons while they ate. Cyvr gracefully landed on the balcony next to Telsy, his size making him able to fit.

_Isidar just informed the other dragons and I that today will start the Journey,_ Cyvr said to her.

_I hope you are going to tell me what that means,_ Telsy responded dryly.

_You are still a Rider-in-training, Telsy; therefore I cannot inform you of what your task is today. I can just tell you that you will be competing with your fellow Riders in a race. _

Twenty minutes later Telsy and Cyvr landed at the back of the crowded amphitheater where Vrael was scheduled to explain today's task, the Journey. Telsy saw that Galbatorix was right in front with his gray dragon, Jarnunvösk.

_We will eventually have to face him, _Cyvr said. Telsy ignored this as Vrael's white dragon opened his wings, causing the room to silence.

Telsy expected her father to speak, but instead it was Isidar's voice that carried to their minds.

_In Dragon Rider tradition,_ he began, _we start with training our Riders and dragons on how to be equally dependent on each other. We instruct on survival techniques and make sure every dragon and Rider is aware of our duty to Alaglaesia. And at the culmination of their first half-year of guidance, we test how much they have learned by the Flight. Many of the older dragons and Riders may remember this task as the Journey but it has been changed because the task takes place primarily on your dragons back._

Isidar paused as his colorless eyes flickered.

_Today we move to the official training grounds in Illirea. All Riders and dragons of age will be required to participate in the Flight, a race to see who will arrive first in the elven capital. Our first stop is Narda, the westernmost town on the Spine and from there we will follow the coast south until we reach Teirm. _

"This is a test of survival, stamina and speed!" Vrael announced as his arms rose. "There will be check points in Narda, Teirm, Woadark Lake and Dras-Leona. Those who fail to check in will be disqualified. The race begins now! Good luck!"


	4. Chapter 4

Telsy turned to face Cyvr. Elves were moving about the dragons at incredible speed, strapping on saddle bags filled with food and water for the flight. These items were not expected to last long; Vrael made sure Riders and their dragons would have to eventually find their own ways to survive.

In what appeared to be a synchronized motion, twenty dragons took flight; a mass of rainbow wings filled her sight.

_Let us be off,_ Cyvr said eagerly, his body shaking slightly. _I have never participated in the Journey before. This should be exciting!_

Telsy managed to leap right into his saddle and strap her legs in. Roars filled her ears as the twenty dragons participating left the amphitheater. She managed to lock eyes with her father for a brief moment.

Although nothing was said between father and daughter, Telsy caught the warning in his eyes. Cyvr was old enough and experienced enough to win this race easily. It wouldn't help their image if Cyvr made all the other dragons look weak by showing off his stamina.

Telsy nodded once and Cyvr shifted his wings.

Even though Telsy and Cyvr took off almost a solid minute after everyone else had, it wasn't hard to keep up or keep track of the multitude of colored bodies in the sky. Galbatorix was keeping Jarnunvösk at a higher altitude than the other dragons but wasn't any farther ahead of them. Cyvr flapped his wings lazily as they kept to the back of the pack. When the pack thinned and they crossed the sea, Cyvr would expand his wings.

The trees and buildings began spacing out more and more as the dragons moved closer to the coast. Telsy looked back once at the imposing castle that was at the center of Doru Araeba. The castle had been built into multiple mountains. In some spots, the peaks were higher than the crests of the castle itself. Telsy knew that those caverns that rested at the highest points of the mountains were the homes to the dragons that never chose Riders and only chose to aid in assisting the training of young dragons. Telsy also knew that the elves who created the castle spent many decades working the stone into roads wide enough for dragons to walk side by side and create reasonable living quarters for dragons of any size. She knew more about this land mass than anything else.

This had been her home since birth and she had never left the island.

Cyvr sensed Telsy's sudden unease and clicked his teeth together.

_Most of the other younglings flying ahead of us have never flown to the edge of Vroengard, either. They came here when their dragons hatched and arrived here on a ship, most likely. You are lucky to have me, young one. The others are lucky as well that the distance to cross the ocean is so short. They are using up much of their energy now when the land has yet to even run out beneath them._

"But dragons can swim, of course. If need be, they can rest in the water."

In their mental connection, Cyvr laughed.

_No one will want to rest in these waters once they see the serpents that lie in the shallows!_

Telsy fell silent as she watched a shining wall of blue approach. Suddenly the ocean was much more daunting than before and she realized why Galbatorix was flying so much higher than everyone else.

The salty ocean breeze hit all of Telsy's senses before the ground disappeared beneath them. Her eyes watered and she sneezed twice. Tiny droplets pelted her exposed face and she raised an arm instinctively to stop the pain.

Cyvr said something in the ancient language and suddenly all the annoyances of the ocean air were gone. Telsy picked her head up and looked around.

_Thank you,_ she said to Cyvr.

He snorted in response.

* * *

Telsy shifted again in the saddle. It had been enough hours since they left that she'd lost count and the mountains of the Spine were not even visible yet. Cyvr had shared some of his memories with her so she'd have something to pass the time with, but he would only share so much. As the hours had passed, they had discreetly passed seven dragons. Cyvr was conveniently the color of a cloud, so as long as they kept their minds quiet, the other Riders had no inclination of their presence. Telsy looked almost straight up to where Jarnunvösk and Galbatorix were flying. Morzan and his dragon, Thorn, were trailing them and right behind the red dragon was Brom on his cobalt-blue dragon, Saphira.

Before Telsy could look around for any others, Cyvr gave a start and began flapping his wings with more force.

_What is it? _Telsy asked.

_I got a message from Isidar. We're not moving fast enough to make the coast by nightfall._

He turned the tips of his wings towards each other and as the air gathered underneath, they gained altitude but their speed slowed. Soon they were higher than Galbatorix but still a ways behind. Cyvr began flapping his wings with a greater force and they eventually caught up with the grey dragon.

Telsy thought, _How can we make everyone move faster?_

Cyvr didn't respond in any language she could understand.

He opened his jaw farther than Telsy had ever seen and roared louder than she had ever heard. Suddenly they were rocketing downwards and whipped by Jarnunvösk and Thorn. In what felt like no time at all, they had passed all the other dragons. Other roars followed in their wake and Cyvr finally opened his wings and they leveled out. Telsy opened her eyes tentatively.

_Why did you do that?_ She asked incredulously.

Cyvr didn't respond for a moment but kept up his thunderous pace.

_They are all younglings,_ he said._ They are desperate to win so as long as I am setting the pace, they will follow as quickly as they possibly can. _

_I just hope we don't exhaust them to near death,_ Telsy said.


End file.
